Magnetic starting-switch



1. KO'VACS.

MAGNETIC STARTING SWITCH APPLICATION FILED SEPT-10,1917- 1,310.353. Patented July 15, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

I vent-or.

L. KOVACS.

MAGNETIC STARTING SWITCH.

APPLICATION F|LED SEPT.10,19I7.

Patented July 15, 1919 2 SBEETSSHEET 2. 2 57 3 gafw ETED @EFlltj LOUIS KOVACS, OI CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB, OE ENE-THIRD TQ CHARLES JASPER,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MAGNETIC STARTING-SNITCH.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Loris Kovacs, a citizen of i-kustria-Hungary, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of lowing to be a. full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which. it appertains to make and use the same. In its general aspects, my invention relates to switching mechanisms for controlling electric circuits, its objects being to provide a control mechanism requiring an electric current for actuating the same in one direction and having the connections for this required electri current so arranged as to be readily operated only by an initiated person. More particularly, my invention aims to provide an electric switch which can readily be opened manually, but which can only be closed by electromagnetic means; and to inclese the mechanism so as to prevent access to the electromagnetic means. lf urthermore, my invention aims to provide a control switch adapted for use with ignition circuits or other circuits on an automobile, and one which can easily be adapted or currents of any desired amperage. Still other objects will appear from the follow ing; specification and from the accompanying drawings, in which cra\vings- Figure l is an enlarged central vertical section through the casing housing the main nation of a switch mechanism emhodvin e '3 my invention, taken with the switch in its closed position.

Fig. .2 is a vertical section taken through Fig. l along the line 2'2.

Fig. is a fragmentary section through Fig. 2 along the line Fig. 4 is a fragmentary View similar to a portion of Fig. l but enlarged and showing the switching member in its circuit-opening position.

Fig. 5 is a partially diagrammatic View of a simplified s\ itching mechanism also embodying essential features of my invention.

Referring first to the diagrammatic view of F 5, this shows an automobile ignition circuit 1 leading from a magneto or other generator 3 through a pivotally mounted switch blade 3 to switch clips i. The switch blade 3 is continuously urgedtowai'd its Specification of Letters Patent.

.pivoted and spring-pressed latch (3. Tl

the simplified emho:

Patented July 15,

Application filed September 10, 1917. Serial No. 190,463.

circuit-closing position, by a spring 5, but may be held in. its open or off position lxy latch may be released by an electro-magnet I when the latter is actuated by current from a battery 8, the battery circuit be ngclosed through the magnet when two separately pivoted arms 9 and 10 are respectively in contact with two concealed wire terminals 11 and 12.

The clectromagnet and the '"itching mechanism.above described is desi oly concealed ina casing ll, of which only a por tion is shown in Fig. 5, which casing; normally prevents access to the various portions of the mechanism. However, this casing has an opening through which access may be had for moving the switch blade 3 in one direction only. For example, thehlade 3 in Fig. 5 is shown as pivoted to a link carrying a pushbutton 13, which button has its outer end tiush with the outer surface of the casing, l-i when the switch is latched in its open position. \Vith the switch blade thus latched, and with the casing H screcnin the pawl 6 from access, it will be. evident from Fig. 5 that theswitch can he closed only by actuating the electromagnet and hence retr eting the pawl 6 against the sure of a spring 15, whereupon r will close the switch.

To insure ample firm closingoft the s the pivotal electric:

wi l. con

iimem A i a switch blade 3 th s. i, 3 and t) sliding" tween one pan-o1 contact clips ant. adaped to slip between or away from the other mount on an insulator clips it. This blade I 26 carried-by a pivoted arm 27,. which arm is continuously urged in one direction by also coiled spring 28. The insulator carries a plate- 29 having a relatively "l arp edge adapted to engage the-curved shorter end of a. forked latching member when the switch is in its open position as shown in F i. he other end of the latching- 1 member 30'is termed for hooking under a lug 31 (Fig. 2.) on the detent 3 which may The be released by the electromagnet' Y. forked member ween thus latceed by the detent, holds its shorter end in the path of the sharp edged plate thereby preventing the spring 28 from rocking the arm 27 and moving the switch blade to its closure position. However, when the detcnt- 6 is magnetically released, the latching member is free to rock slightly in a clockwise direction, against the'tension of the spring 3:2, thereby permitting the plate 29 tocslide under and 5 raise this. member 30 and allowin the spring 28 to close the knife switch. t will be obvious that by providing the plate 25) and the shorter end of the swinging latch arm 30 with cooperating cam surfaces, I readily'enable the plate 29 to raise the latch arm momentarily, leaving the spring 32 to return the same.

However, while I have shown and described particular forms of latching members springs and the like, I do not wish to be limited to these or other details of the construction and arrangement here disclosed,

it being obvious that the same might be varied in many respects without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, an electric switch, manually operable mechanical means for moving the switch from the first to the second of twonormal positions, a latch for holding the switch in said second position, spring means for returning the switch to'the first position, electrically controlled means or releasing the latch, and a casing housing the foresaid elements and exposing only a portion of the manually operable means so as to permit the manual actuating of the lat ter in one direction only,the manually operable means including an element projecting beyond the surface of the casing only when the switch is in its first named position. 2. In combination, an electric switch, ;manually operable -mechanical means for moving the switch from the first to the second of two normal positions, a latch for holdingthe switch in said second position, spring means for returning the switch to the first position,electrically controlled means for releasing the latch, and a casing housing the aforesaid elements and exposing only a portion of the manually operable means so as to permit the manual actuating of the latter in one direction only, themanually operable means including a rigid link pivoted to the switch presenting an end portion projecting beyond the surface of the casing only 7 when the switch is its first named position. v v

3. In an electric switch, a movable switching member,-'a pivoted detent engagingthe switching member for holding the latter in' one position, a latch engaging thedetent to hold the latter in its said position, and yielding means also arranged for holding the detent in its said position, the detent and the portion of the switching member engaged thereby having cooperating cam formations for causing the switching member first to be moved further from its said position against the resistance of the yielding member upon the releasing of the detent, thereby permitting the detent 'to clear the 7 said portion of the switching member.

. ments and having a perforation, the manually'operable means including a push-button connected to the switching member and projecting through the perforation in the cas ing only when theswitch is in its closed position, the pushbutton being guarded by the casing against manual retraction thereof when the switch is in its open position. I

5. A switch mechanism as per claim 6, in which the last named means include a pushbutton'jointedly connected to the switching member. and projecting through a pert'oration in the casing when the switch is, in its circuit-closing position, the said puslibutton being of such dimensions and be substan tially flush with the surface of the casing and manually incapable of being grasped from without the casing when the switch is in its circuit-opening position.

6. Inan electric switclna movable switching member, manually operable means for moving the switching member from one to another of two normal positions, a detent engaging the switching member for holding in the latter of' its two positions, spring means for returning the switching member to its other position, and elez-tricallv controlled means for releasing the detent, the

detent and the portion of the switching member engaged thereby having cooperating cam formations for'causing the switching member first to be moved farther from its last named position upon the releasing of the detent, thereby permitting the detent to I(:ilear the said portion of the switching mem- Signed at Chicago, Illinois, September 6th,1917.

LOUIS KOVACS. 

